With summer drawing to a close, and hints of autumn in the air, we are gearing up for another growing season--Fall! With our new seeds purchased and ready, we are working to prepare the beds for planting in the coming weeks.
Summer was great for us at the garden and we had some good harvests in the new beds. We expanded our gardening space by removing the four raised beds that had been in place since 2009, and took over the entire space turning it into one big raised bed with paths and installed an arbor and sitting area. In the few months the garden has been in place, a whole ecosystem has developed as a result of our organic methods and companion planting. The garden is alive with several types of bees, countless butterflies, assassin bugs, ladybugs, and an array of birds. It's a heavenly sight especially with the bright-colored zinnias, cosmos, marigolds, and snapdragons to accent the space.
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| Bumble bees buzz the passion vine to harvest sweet pollen from each flower. The vine is a Texas native and attracts gulf fritillary butterflies as well as several types of bees. |
As we prepare the beds for fall, we are working to clear away the expired vegetation and mapping out our plan for the new season. With our warm Southeast Texas climate, we are able to garden year-round by transitioning our crops to those which are cold-hardy. On the menu so far, we have dill, sugar snap peas, pumpkins, lettuces, kohlrabi, sweet peas, and more. We look forward to the cooler temps, making it more pleasant to be outside, and the new crops that are sure to be on our plates before long!
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| A sampling of the victory garden's summer harvests include okra, tomatoes, and crowder peas. Brightly-colored flowers attract beneficial insects--and museum visitors, alike. |
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